Mechanical pencil and ejector type lead carrier therefor



Dec. 27, 1949 w. E. MELcHloRRE MECHANICAL PENCIL AND EJCTOR TYPE LEAD CARRIER THEREFOR Filed 001;. 29,y 1948 Patented Dec. 27, 1949 MECHANICAL PENCIL AND EJECTOR TYPE LEAD CARRIER THEREFOR William E. Melchiorre, Providence, R. I.

Application October 29, 1.948Seria1N,o..57,341

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a mechanical pencil, particularly the lead carrier thereof.

A usuall lead carrier ci a mechanical pencil is formed from a blank ci relatively thin sheet metal.The blank isA rectangular and has on each longitudinal edge a recess and a tab closely adjacent one end of the recess with the recess and tab on one edge positioned to be opposite to the recess and the tab on the other edge. The blank is bent circul'arly with the longitudinal edges and tabs in abutting relation. This provides a tubular member having a closedy longitudinalv opening in the wall thereof and a projection extending outwardly at right angles thereto with the seam of the tubular member extending centrally through the projection and centrally through` the end walls of the opening. Such a carrier may have its edges separated at the seam, and it frequently happens when operating the pencil to expel the lead from the carrier that the projection on the pusher or lead ejector will enter the seam and open the same suiiciently for the ejector to become jammed therein and to also jam the tabs between the propelling screw and the guide member of the propelling mechanism. Such jamming of these parts of the mechanism usually requires replacement of the carrier and ejector to again place the mechanism in proper order.

An obj-ect of the invention is the provision of (Cla 120--1-8') 2, ployed for forming the carrier shown in Figure 3; and' a lead carrier which is so constructed as to overcome the objectionable features heretofore mentioned.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of a lead carrier formed from a sheet metal blank so constructed that the seam therein will be at a position removed from the helical member engaging projection thereon.

Another object of thisl invention is the provision of a lead carrier wherein the screw engaging projection thereon. will be raisedA from the stock of the carrier.

With= these and other objects in view, the invention consists of. certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal substantially central section view of a. fragmental portion of a mechanical pencil embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1, but omitting the barrel of the pencil;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a lead carrier and lead ejector shown in assembled relation;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ejector;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the blank em- Figure 6 isa sectional View of the blank taken substantially ralong line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description off the invention, II! designates generally a mechanical pencil having a usual barrel II and a conical tip I2 which is provided with a plurality of bores I3', I4., and I5. The bores are of different diameters and. are co-axial with the bore I3' cf less diameter extending through the lower portion ofY the tip I2 and is of a size to snugly receive the lead I6 therein and provide a guide therefor. The borey I3 opens at its upper end into the bore I4 and provides a shoulder I'I between the two bores, whileV the bore Ill opens into the bore I5 and provides a shoulder I8 between these two bores.

Within the barrel II there is housed a lead propelling or expelling mechanism designated generally I9 which comprises a tubular guide member 2li having a straight longitudinal slot 2l extending fromv end toend of the guide 26. The upper portion of thisA guide is slit a short distance inwardly from the edges of the slot 2l providing bendableportions 22. The lower end of the guide 20 is received in the bore- I4 with the end extremity of the guide abutting against the shoulder Il and is'held against the walls of the bore I by a tight frictional engagement therewith.

The lead carrier of the mechanism is designated generally 23, best seen in Figure 3, and has an inner diameter of a size to receive and hold the lead I6V therein. The carrier is slidably received withiny they guide- 20. Preferably, the carrier is formed' from a blank '2li shown in Figure 5 which is made of relativelyv thin sheet metal, which is rectangular with an opening or recess 2li midway between its oppositeedges and near one end portionl thereof'. The blank also has a projection 25 which extends outwardly at substantially right angles near the inner end 26 of the recess 24. The projection 25' is longitudinally in line With the recess 24.

The projection 25 is preferably raised from the stock of the blank in any appropriate manner familiar to workers in this art. The blank '24 is bent circularly widthwise into tubular form with the longitudinal edges 21 thereof in abutting relation with each other providing a seam 28 which theopening 24 so that upon final bending of the blank, the ejector will be slidably held within the carrier a distance equal to the length of the opening 24. The carrier is positioned within the guide with the projection 25, and nger 30 extends outwardly of the guide through the slot 2| whereby the carrier may be moved axially in the guide, but prevented from rotational movement thereof relative to the guide.

In order to axially move the carrier a tubular member 3| having a helical groove 32 is provided which is open at either end of the member 3|. This member 3l, which will be hereinafter referred to as the screw, is positioned over the guide 26 and is sufficiently free thereof to permit rotational movement thereof on the guide. The projection and the finger 30 are positioned to extend into the grooves 32 with the finger 39 spaced from the projection 25 one turn of the screw 3l.

The screw 3l is rotated by means of a sleeve 33 which has an outer knurled surface 34, a notch at the upper end thereof, and a reduced portion 36 at the lower end which is loosely received Within the bore l5 in the tip I2. An anti-friction member which is in the form of a nbre washer 3l is interposed between the shoulder I8 and the end extremity of the reduced portion 39 which rests thereon. The lower portion of the screw 3l extends into the sleeve 33 to a depth therein such as to permit the projection -25 to be moved out- I wardly of the lower end of the screw 3l whereby to provide for relative movement between the carrier 23 and the ejector 29 for expelling the lead from the carrier when desired. A protuberance 38 on the screw 3| extends into the notch 35 to secure the sleeve and screw to each other. The screw is secured on the guide against axial movement thereof by means of a collar 39 which is positioned over the upper end of the guide 29 so as to be below the severed or bendable portions 22 and rest against the upper edge of the screw 3|. The portions 22 are bent outwardly to extend over the collar 39 and additional projections 40 are raised outwardly of the stock of the guide to also "L extend over the collar 39. It will be noted that suilicient clearance is permitted between the collar 38 and the portions 22 to permit relative rotation between the screw and the guide.

The lower end of the barrel Il is forced over the sleeve 33 into tight engagement with the knurled portion thereof whereby upon turning of the barrel Il relative to the tip l2, the screw 3| will be turned to slidably move the carrier within the guide in a well-known manner so as to advance or retract the lead within the tip l2 as the choice may be. To advance the lead from' the carrier 23 the barrel ll is rotated in the proper direction sufficiently to move the projection 25 from the lower end of the groove 32. Upon further turning of the b arrel, the ejector 29 through engagement of the finger 30 with the groove 32 will be moved toward the projection 25 to expel the lead from the carrier. Upon rotation of the screw in the opposite direction, the ejector 29 will be moved in the opposite direction into engagement with the end dl of the recess 24 and move the carrier therewith to move the projection 25 into position to be again engaged by the screw 3l.

It may be found advantageous in some instances to position the recess 24 and the projection 25 at other positions thereon relative to the seam 28 as shown and heretofore described. However, in all instances, the recess 24 and the projection 25 would be so positioned on the carrier that the seam will be spaced from the path of movement of the finger 39 on the ejector 29.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical pencil having a guide tube provided with a longitudinal slot therein, a helically grooved member surrounding said guide and rotatable relative thereto, means for rotating said member, a carrier for the lead comprising a seamed tubular member for receiving the lead slidably received in said guide and having a longitudinal opening extending therethrough at one end portion thereof and a projection thereon raised from the stock of the carrier and extending therefrom through said longitudinal slot and into the groove of said helical member, and an ejector slidably received in said carrier and having a finger thereon extending through said recess and said longitudinal slot and into the groove of said helical member, said projection and said recess being at a position on said carrier removed from the seam thereof. I

2. A lead carrier for a mechanical pencil comprising a sheet metal tubular member having a seam extending lengthwise thereof and provided with a longitudinal recess and a projection thereon at a position removed from the said seam.

3. A blank for forming a lead carrier of a m'echanical pencil lead propelling mechanism comprising a sheet metal blank of generally rectangular shape bendable into tubular form and having a longitudinal recess extending therethrough adjacent one end thereof and a projection thereon adjacent one end of said recess and raised from the stock of the blank, said recess and said projection being positioned on said blank at a location thereon spaced from the longitudinal edges thereof.

4. A blank as set forth in claim 3 wherein said recess and projection are positioned substantially midway on said blank widthwise thereof.

WILLIAM E. MELCHIORRE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,912,674 Wehn June 6, 1933 

